Capitals forward Marcus Johansson skated on his own before practice on Monday, still limited with a lower-body injury he suffered against the New York Islanders in Saturday’s exhibition game.
Johansson signed a three-year, $13.75 million contract with the Capitals this summer, coming off a season in which he played 74 games and scored 17 goals and 29 assists. The winger is expected to play in the middle-six of Washington’s forward corps, and he’s also on the top power-play unit.
Prospect defenseman Madison Bowey, who suffered an upper-body injury against the Islanders, was expected to join Johansson in an injured skate session, but he skated with the non-game group on Monday, a sign that he’s further along. Bowey is expected to spend the majority of the season in the American Hockey League with Washington returning seven blue-liners, but he’s projected to have his NHL debut in a call-up role at some point in the year. In 70 games, he scored four goals and 25 assists last season, almost all at even strength.
“He’s getting closer, but we were cautious with him,” Trotz said. “He got through practice with no setbacks or anything like that.”
Forward Tom Wilson (upper-body injury) again skated with the group on Monday, but he was also limited in contact. Wilson said he’s “getting better.”
“He’s got an upper-body injury that just needs a little time, and so, we want to make sure it’s totally healed before we put in,” Trotz said. “He’s not exactly a guy that’s going to shy away from contact, so we’ve just got to be sure he’s 100 percent. So, he was limited. It’s good for him because he says he can work on other parts of his game.”
Said Wilson: “It’s tough. You get back into it and everyone’s competing and it’s high pace and guys are making impressions, it’s hard hockey. Part of the preseason is playing hard, but getting through it. I, unfortunately, got a little dinged up and have to take a couple steps back and let it heal up and hopefully get back into it soon.”